“What the hell is he doing here?” Ignoring Raj, Marin makes her way to Gia. Raj follows, close on her heels. Upon reaching Adam, Marin pulls Gia away. “You have some nerve,” she bites out. “There’s a restraining order against you.” She holds tightly to Gia’s arm, even as her daughter struggles to be let loose. “I look forward to seeing you locked away.”
“I invited him,” Gia says, finally succeeding in freeing herself. She takes her place between Marin and Adam, a wall of defense. “It’s my birthday party. I can have over whomever I want.”
“Call the police,” Marin orders Raj, her gaze locked with Gia’s. “Gia, you have no idea what you are doing.”
“I just came to wish Gia happy birthday,” Adam says, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m not trying to cause trouble.”
“I don’t want to hear a word from you,” Marin barks at Adam. She notices Raj hasn’t called. Turning to Sonya, she holds out her hand. “You have your phone?”
“Marin”—Sonya cautions, glancing between Gia and Adam—“don’t.”
It is not the answer she expected. One of them has to be on her side. Feeling everything slipping away, she finally begs, her desperation clear. “Sonya, give me your phone right now.”
Everyone disappears while images of the past crowd around her. Locked in a closet for an A-minus, hits that never stopped coming, prayers that were never answered. Sweat lines her palms while her heartbeat speeds up—the telltale signs of a panic attack. Her tongue starts to thicken, making words almost impossible. She has no one else to turn to, no one willing to support her in the battle she is losing. She waits, wondering if she is truly all alone, when Sonya silently lays the phone in her palm. Gutted, Marin stares at her younger sister, who with a simple nod assures Marin she is standing by her side.
“Look, I’m leaving,” Adam murmurs, taking two steps back. “No harm done.”
“Don’t go,” Gia pleads. She turns toward Marin. “Mom, please understand.”
“Understand what, Gia?” Marin says, finding her voice. “Your behavior is self-destructive. I can’t allow it.”
“It’s not your choice!” Gia yells. Without Gia noticing, Ranee has joined them. Slipping her arm around Gia’s waist, she effectively moves her away from Adam and closer to her family.
“Why did you call him?” Marin repeats, devastated. The last few guests have taken their leave, offering Marin and her family the privacy they deserve. Marin barely registers their exits, her entire focus on her daughter. “Why did you invite him here?”
“Because I love him,” Gia admits, her stance seeming to beg her mother to accept this. “You still love Dada, even after what he did to you. Why is this any different?”
The house is empty, the bustle of the party long past. Raj took Gia out after Adam left, insisting to Marin he needed time alone with his daughter and saying they would be back later. Now numb, Marin watches with detachment as Ranee brings three cups of chai to the table. Needing something to do, she starts to make a list of the guests who witnessed the interaction. She will call them tomorrow, apologize for the scene. Having to do so is salt on a wound, knowing everyone’s life is perfect while hers, in shambles, is on display for the world to see.
“Drink this,” Ranee encourages, scooting her chair closer to Marin’s. “When I was young, and there was a problem in the family or village, we would all gather at someone’s home and have cup after cup of chai. After enough hours, the problem that seemed insurmountable was suddenly solved.”
“The children drank chai?” Sonya demands. “Filled with caffeine?”